Participation, Scores Up on AP Tests in South Windsor

‘Tremendous’ was the word Board of Education members used to describe South Windsor High School’s 2013 Advanced Placement scores, which were released recently.

The board discussed the scores after Principal Daniel Sullivan presented them at its last meeting.

“Student enrollment and the percentage of students taking the exams rose significantly last year. At the same time, student performance remained strong with 84 percent of students earning a 3 or better,” Sullivan summarized in a letter to the superintendent.

In 2013, 37.5 percent of graduating seniors scored a 3 or higher on the exams, which is scored from 1 to 5, with 3 generally earning students college credit for the class; 84 percent of exams were scored 3 or better.

A total of 289 South Windsor High students took one or more AP classes, with 535 exams taken.

The numbers show a significant trend. In 2012, 278 students took one or more AP classes – almost double the 2010 number of 143. In 2009 the number was just 98.

“Across the board we are performing above the state mean and in many cases significantly above,” said board member Matt Riley. “This is a tremendous report to share with the public. They should e aware of the job you and your team have done in preparing our students for these exams." 

Board member Caroll Driscoll also offered kudos.

“There are more students in 2013 than in 2012 that scored a 5, which is very high. I think that’s very telling of the quality of the instruction and the guidance that students are getting,” Driscoll said. “I’m very proud of our teachers and our administrators. The data will always reflect what they do on a daily basis…”

South Windsor average scores per subject ranged from 2.0 – scored by just one student each in several subjects not offered by SWHS – to 4.65 in Calculus AB. 

Sullivan offered an action plan to improve scores in each class, particularly Environmental Science, which had 60 students enrolled and a strikingly low average score, and to encourage more girls to take AP classes in math and science.